Digital Government
TSA Blogger Brings Message to Defense
A prolific -- and popular -- blogger at for the Transportation Security Administration has begun to spread his word to the Defense community. Bob Burns, a.k.a. Blogger Bob, wrote his first post for the Armed With Science Blog, which appears on the <a href=http://www.dodlive.mil/>DoD Live</a> website.
Digital Government
DARPA's Lee to Microsoft
Wired's Danger Room <a href=http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/07/darpa-crowdsourcer-in-chief-bolts-for-microsoft/>reports</a> that Peter Lee, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's "leading advocate for crowdsourcing and other ways of tapping new talent is leaving to join Microsoft." Lee, former head of Carnegie Mellon University's computer science department, was at DARPA for only a year. He developed DARPA's <a href= http://whatsbrewin.nextgov.com/2010/05/apps_for_the_army_1_transformative_apps_0.php>Transformative Apps</a> program.
Digital Government
Some 'Hard Fun' with Robots
Those smart techie folks at Carnegie Mellon University have put together a program aimed at boosting young students' interest in computer science with the hopes that they can convince more teenagers to enter scientific and technological careers.
Digital Government
A Window to the Soul
In <em>Lie to Me</em>, the yet-to-be-a-hit <a href=http://www.fox.com/lietome/>TV series on Fox</a>, Dr. Cal Lightman (played by Tim Roth) uses his insight into the human condition to determine if a person is lying - and then solving crime based on his observational skills. Lightman typically peers into a subject's eyes, looking for twitching and shifting pupils. Now, a computer program can do that.
Digital Government
Gen. Mattis and Defense Tech
The warfighting philosophy of Marine Gen. James Mattis, nominated to replace Gen. David Petraeus as the next commander of U.S. Central Command, is to break down units into very small groups that have lots of autonomy that allows them to act very quickly. Gregg Grant, who covered Defense issues for <em>Government Executive</em> and now works for Defense Technology, <a href=http://defensetech.org/2010/07/09/mattis-may-get-chance-to-test-innovative-concepts-in-new-ao/#more-8173>writes</a> that under such a "decentralized battlefield . . . quality becomes much more important than quantity."
Digital Government
Defense Continues Apps Pursuit
Counselors have begun to use apps to <a href=http://healthitupdate.nextgov.com/2010/06/honey_we_need_online_counseling.php>treat patients online</a>. Physicians are developing iPhone apps to <a href=http://healthitupdate.nextgov.com/2010/05/the_iphone_app_doc.php>treat conditions like vertigo</a>. So, it shouldn't be surprising that the Defense Department, which is embracing everything app, has an iPhone program to help treat stress, maybe even post traumatic stress syndrome.
Digital Government
The Cyber Command Logo Mystery
Wired's Danger Room blog has a <a href="http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/07/solve-the-mystery-code-in-cyber-commands-logo/">fun contest</a> that Nextgov readers should take a serious look at -- especially cyber specialists.
Digital Government
Sensing Traumatic Brain Injuries
The Defense Department continues to put money toward trying to understand head injuries better and information technology is a big part of that. In its latest effort, the department awarded a $17 million to BAE Systems to place sensors in soldiers' helmets to record the effects of an n explosion, like a roadside bomb.
Digital Government
Charges Filed in WikiLeaks Case
Update on the leak of military documents to the website <a href="http://wikileaks.org/">WikiLeaks</a>: The Pentagon <a href=http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/07/06/iraq.soldier.leak.charge/index.html?hpt=T2>charged</a> U.S. Army intelligence analyst Pfc. Bradley Manning, 22, from Potomac, Md., with "eight violations of the U.S. Criminal Code for allegedly illegally transferring classified data, according to a charge sheet released by the military," CNN reported.
Digital Government
$12 Billion VA Contract Delayed
The Veterans Affairs Department planned to release on Wednesday its request for proposals for the largest information technology acquisition in its history: the $12 billion <a href=http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20091203_2809.php>Transformation Twenty-One Total Technology</a> contract, known as T4.
Digital Government
Spectrum War: Karate Road vs. Defense
In hyping President Obama's decision on Monday to allocate 500 MHz of very scarce spectrum for mobile wireless broadband services, his economic adviser Lawrence Summers said this amounted to the best use of spectrum currently used by federal agencies and TV broadcasters.
Digital Government
Congress, White House AWOL at Intrepid
Despite <a href=http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/06/24/128079301/leader-of-military-s-program-to-treat-brain-injuries-steps-down-abruptly>reports by National Public Radio</a>, Army Brig. Gen. Loree Sutton, who <a href=http://whatsbrewin.nextgov.com/2010/06/bg_sutton_quietly_leaves_ptsdtbi_job.php>quietly left her position</a> as director of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury on Monday, did, indeed, make the Thursday opening of a $56 million center focused on treatment of post traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.
Digital Government
Now, Sorta UnBefuddled
I <a href=http://whatsbrewin.nextgov.com/2010/06/befuddled_by_va_virtual_call_center_notice.php>wrote on Wednesday that I couldn't even began to comprehend a Veteran Affairs Department <a href=https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&tab=core&id=72ff3c1024d9b04d43176eca88fbbbeb>FedBizOps notice</a> on Virtual Call Centers because it was written in language that barely resembled common English.
Digital Government
Befuddled by Virtual Call Center Notice
The Veterans Affairs Department <a href=https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&tab=core&id=72ff3c1024d9b04d43176eca88fbbbeb>says it plans to issue</a> a procurement on June 28 for virtual call centers. I think this may be a good idea, if I could understand the tortured language in the FedBizOps notice.
Digital Government
BG Sutton Quietly Leaves PTSD/TBI Job
Army Brig. Gen. Loree Sutton, who ran the <a href=http://www.dcoe.health.mil/>Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury</a> since it was established in November 2007, left that command on Monday in a very low key ceremony, I'm told.
Digital Government
The Start of Making Cyborgs Real?
The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity <a href=https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&tab=core&id=3da082fa3b92bc8b725e56b1a450a783>wants some help</a> from smart folks who can develop new kinds of optical, biological or brain-based computers.
Digital Government
Sen. Webb: Few Grunts in Vietnam
Before the Senate hands over $13.4 billion to the Veterans Affairs Department to compensate Vietnam Veterans for exposure to Agent Orange, Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., has a few questions for VA Secretary Eric Shinseki, according to <a href=http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,216344,00.html>this syndicated column</a> by Tom Philpott.
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